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News Release: The Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation invests in regional land trust and environmental institute with the creation of a pollinator conservatory

The Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation invests in regional land trust and environmental institute with the creation of a pollinator conservatory

(Cambridge/North Dumfries March 6, 2017): The Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation and the rare Charitable Research Reserve are taking steps to ensure the future success of pollinators in Waterloo Region with the creation of The Savvas Chamberlain Family Pollinator Conservatory.

As part of a $250,000 commitment over five years to ensure rare, a 900+ acre land trust and environmental institute, remains intact in perpetuity, the Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation has adopted an area at the Springbank Farm to dedicate to pollinators. With the foundation’s support, rare plans to plant species of trees, shrubs and other plants native to the Region of Waterloo, including asters, milkweed and fruit trees, creating a longer blooming season with different trees and plants flowering at different times, to ensure pollinators have excellent food sources on the property for a longer period of time.

“Flowering plants form the basis of productivity in most terrestrial ecosystems, and the maintenance and sustainability of plant populations independent of human intervention, is crucial for the sustainability of the ecosystems themselves — animal pollinators play a vital role in mediating reproduction,” says rare’s Planning Ecologist, Dr. Tom Woodcock. “The role of pollinators must not be taken for granted in our ecosystem management efforts; our food, water and biodiversity depend on them. Wild ecosystems, such as those at rare, need an effective pollination service to function properly. Sustainable plant populations are the foundation of any ecosystem, whether we are considering forests providing habitat for our wildlife, wetlands cleaning our water or farmland producing food for the human population.”

Christine Chamberlain, Vice President of the Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation notes: “One of the objectives of our Foundation is to finance projects to preserve our local, provincial and national Canadian natural environment. We believe that preservation of our environment will benefit all sectors of our society. This project will lead to the preservation, survival and growth of pollinators in Waterloo Region.”

“We’re excited to partner with the Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation,” says rare’s Executive Director, Stephanie Sobek-Swant. “Conservation and operating a land trust isn’t just about organizations buying land and protecting it from degradation today. It’s also about whole communities working together to find innovative solutions to protecting land for future generations.”

In addition to creating a healthy environment for pollinators to thrive, the Savvas Chamberlain Family Pollinator Conservatory will provide opportunities for education and community engagement around the importance of pollinators in our everyday lives.

 

About rare

Founded in 2001, the rare Charitable Research Reserve is a 900+ acre land trust and environmental institute situated at the confluence of the Grand and Speed Rivers in the heart of the Waterloo Region. The reserve is a beautifully and culturally significant landscape that includes trees more than 240 years old. Rich in biodiversity, rare is home to an array of flora and fauna — some of which are ranked significant regionally, provincially, nationally and even globally. Striving to preserve the land for future generations, rare focuses on conservation, research and education through ecological restoration and environmental programs, while providing passive recreation opportunities to the surrounding community on 8 km of trails.

 

About the Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation

The Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation was established in 2011 by Dr. Savvas Chamberlain to provide funding to a broad range of registered local, provincial and national charitable organizations in Canada. Our Foundation is funded solely by the Chamberlain family. We support organizations that fall under the following areas of focus: people & communities, the environment, health & well-being, education, arts & culture. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit us at www.scffoundation.com

 

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Contacts:

Christine Thompson, rare, Major Gifts Manager

519-650-9336 x. 118

christine.thompson@raresites.org

 

Stephanie Sobek-Swant, rare, Executive Director

519-650-9336 x113

stephanie.sobek-swant@raresites.org